Tokyo – Hong Kong – Bangkok – Bombay – Bahrain – Cairo

On July 19, 1962 at 10:44 PM, Tokyo – Hong Kong – Bangkok – Bombay – Bahrain – Cairo experienced a crash involving De Havilland DH.106 Comet, operated by United Arab Airlines, with the event recorded near Mt Khao Yai Nakhon Nayok (<U+0E19><U+0E04><U+0E23><U+0E19><U+0E32><U+0E22><U+0E01>).

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.

26 people were known to be on board, 26 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 8, crew fatalities: 8, passengers on board: 18, passenger fatalities: 18, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Flight UA869 departed from Hong Kong for Bangkok, an intermediate stop, on a scheduled service to Cairo. Takeoff time was 13:30 UTC. The flight climbed to 31000 ft, the selected cruising altitude. At 15:14 UA869 advised Bangkok ATC that the flight had crossed the Bangkok FIR boundary at 15:08 and passed over Ubol NDB at 15:13 and requested to fly direct from Ubol NDB to Bangkok VOR. This request was granted by Bangkok ATC. At this time UA869 advised Bangkok ATC that the ETA for Bangkok VOR would be 15:47. At 15:27 the flight advised Bangkok ATC that it would be over the 100 mile perimeter at 15:30. After reporting that it was 90 miles out the crew requested descent clearance to a lower altitude. Bangkok control cleared the flight to descend to 4000 ft on the Bangkok VOR radial of 073 degrees and to report when commencing descent from 31000 ft. The flight was instructed to contact Bangkok approach control at 15:39. At 15:35 the flight was cleared to 3000 ft and informed that the altimeter setting was 1007.8 mb. At 15:40 the flight transferred to the Bangkok approach control. Immediately after this UA869 reported to approach control that it was descending from 13000 ft and estimating Bangkok VOR at 15:44. Approach control advised the flight to adjust the altimeter setting to 1007.8 mb and then cleared the flight to cross Bangkok VOR for final approach on runway 21R and report immediately on descending from 3000 ft. This was the last contact with the flight. The Comet flew into the side of Khao Yai Mountain, 52 nm NE of Bangkok.

Aircraft reference details include registration SU-AMW, MSN 6464, year of manufacture 1962.